2018 iPad Pro CAD Renders Reveal Slimmer Bezels, Flat Sides

Apple is expected to announce an updated version of the iPad Pro next month alongside the new 2018 iPhones. Now, CAD-based renders for the 2018 iPad Pro have been shared online and they provide everyone with a first look at Apple’s new “Pro” tablet.

The renders for the 2018 iPad Pro were shared by Steve Hemmerstoffer (@OnLeaks) and MySmartPrice. The renders are said to be based on factory CAD images, but Hemmerstoffer admitted that they may not be 100 percent accurate. However, they do provide everyone with a good idea as to what Apple’s 2018 iPad Pro might look like.

The CAD renders for the 2018 iPad Pro show the 12.9-inch model. At first glance, it’s already apparent that Apple’s iPad Pro refresh will have very slim bezels all around the display. It also shows that the 2018 iPad Pro won’t have a notch, which should be good news to a lot of users who aren’t fans of the iPhone X’s design. Apple may not have needed a notch on the new iPad Pro since its bezels are enough to accommodate the front-facing camera and other sensors.

Since the 2018 iPad Pro will have very slim bezels, the renders also show that it won’t have a physical home button up front to accommodate the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Like the iPhone X, the new iPad Pro will have the TrueDepth camera system that enables Face ID facial recognition feature.

As for the overall physical design of the 2018 iPad Pro, it looks like Apple is going for flat sides instead of curved. The new iPad Pro will also have four speakers and each one of them will be placed in the corners of the Apple tablet. On the bottom, there will be a single Lightning connector, but there’s no 3.5mm headphone jack to be seen anywhere.

Interestingly, the Smart Connector is now located on the backside of the 2018 iPad Pro and the SIM card tray is shown to be on the middle of the side of the tablet. The backside also has some antenna lines that look very similar to what’s found on some iPhones, as pointed out by 9To5Mac.

Apple is expected to officially release its new 2018 iPad Pro lineup this fall. The tech giant has already scheduled a media event at its headquarters on Sept. 12 and the new iPhones are expected to be unveiled during the event. It remains unclear if the new iPad Pro will be announced at the same event.